Discussions By Condition: I cannot get a diagnosis.

Muscle spasm in lower leg due to body alignment problems?

I'd be grateful for helpful feedback. I'm a frustrated runner, battling with a constant spasm/cramp in my left calf. I had something similar about a year ago and it went away on it's own that time. Running with it does not seem to make it worse, but it is a constant spasm day and night, and is especially bad in the early morning before I get out of bed and walk around. I have now had it for 2 months.

This latest setback came on about a week after running 18kms offroad in hard trail shoes, and at first I thought it might be a muscle strain or even shin splints. However, 5 sessions of physiotherapy (ultrasound, massage, needling, taping) & lots of rest did not resolve the problem, although it did help soften the hard tight knot in the muscle somewhat. The physio's diagnosis was "trigger points" in the muscle. The muscle was extremely painful when she tried to work them out.

I rested for about 2 weeks, and ran a marathon very slowly. Surprisingly, I felt no pain during running, nor even for a few days after. I then went for a long swimming session (freestyle stroke, which does work the calves)in a heated pool after about a week's rest from running, and surprise, surprise, the next morning, the spasm was back.

I've supplemented with magnesium and potassium, I've tried to stay well-hydrated, all to no avail. I've also tried anti-inflammatories, but they don't work.

The only thing that brings relief is applying a heat pack to the calf.

Out of desperation, I've begun to think it might be due to a trapped nerve, as I did fall off a horse as a teenager (I'm 40yrs old) and I've had what I'm told is possibly an instability in my Sacro-iliac joint on the left hand side of my pelvis.

Yesterday, I went to a chiropracter, who assessed my spine and legs and found a slight tilt in my pelvis and apparently my left lower leg bone is slightly longer than the right one. He has recommended that I get orthotics made for my running shoes. He also manipulated my pelvis.

However, today I feel no different to the days before. Perhaps I was hoping for a miracle cure, a "click" into place and all symptoms should disappear!

If there is anyone out there with some information that might help me pinpoint and cure myself of this constant muscle spasm, I would be most grateful.